Swinging Bridge Christmas Tree Farm, Choose and Cut, Boone, North Carolina Mountains

Choose and Cut FAQ

WHY BUY CHOOSE AND CUT?

I'VE NEVER BEEN TO A TREE FARM. WHAT SHOULD I EXPECT?

CAN WE CUT OUR OWN TREE?

DO YOU ACCEPT CHECKS?

IS THERE A RESTROOM AVAILABLE?

WHAT SHOULD WE WEAR?

WHAT DAYS ARE YOU OPEN?

I'D LIKE TO COME EARLY IN NOVEMBER FOR THE WIDEST SELECTION, BUT WILL MY TREE LAST THROUGH CHRISTMAS?

YOU KEEP MENTIONING FRASER FIRS. WHAT IS A FRASER FIR?

HOW OLD IS MY TREE?

How much are your trees?
They are $7.00 per foot. That means a 6 foot tree is $42. An eight footer will cost $56.

Why buy choose and cut?
Putting up a tree that comes direct from the grower will mean more for you and your family than putting up a lot-purchased tree. You will be able to picture the hillside where it grew and you will know personally the family that grew it. When we're not too busy we can show you around the farm a bit. Coming to the mountains for your tree will become a cherished Christmas tradition.

I've never been to a tree farm. What should I expect?
The location of our farm will be marked by signs on the highway. When you arrive, we'll give you a red and white pole marked off in feet. You'll be directed to a slope based on what size tree you have in mind. You can take as long as you like to find your tree. When you've found it, you'll send one of your party down the slope to let us know (or give us a shout if we are nearby) and Chuck or one of our helpers will come up and cut it down for you. Then we'll carry your Christmas tree to the baler (sometimes with the help of you or your children). Kids and grown ups are welcome to help us get the tree through our hand – cranked baler. Finally we'll tie the tree on to your car.

Can we cut our own tree instead?
Sure. We have handsaws or you can bring your own handsaw.

Do you accept checks?
Yes, checks or cash, but not credit cards.

Is there a restroom available?
Of course. You are welcome to use the restroom in our house.

What should we wear?
You may not need them – but bring coats, jackets, hats, and gloves just in case. There can be a big variation in temperature in a single day this time of year. Of course, wear shoes or boots suitable for walking up and down the hillsides where trees are planted.

What days are you open?
Click here to see our calendar. We are open 9.30 till dark.

I'd like to visit the farm in early November for the widest selection, but will the tree last till Christmas?
Fraser fir trees are known for their great needle retention. Remember wholesalers are cutting them in mid-October. Just put your tree in a bucket of water and keep it in the shade or in a garage till you're ready to put it up. Before you put it in the stand you may want to give the trunk a fresh cut. Once your Christmas tree is set up make sure it gets plenty of water.

You keep mentioning Fraser firs. What is a Fraser fir?
Christmas trees come in a lot of varieties: Scotch pine, Colorado spruce, Douglas fir, Fraser fir to name a few. In the eastern part of the country Fraser firs are replacing pines in popularity. The needles are soft and dark green with a distinctive silvery underside. The trees have a naturally elegant shape which is enhanced by shearing. Fraser firs are native to the Carolina mountains. Ours are grown from Fraser seedlings which occur naturally on Roan Mountain on the Tennessee-North Carolina border.

How old is my tree?
This is certainly our most frequently asked question. And the answer depends partly on where you start. The little three inch seedlings from Roan Mountain are already two or three years old when we plant them in beds on the farm. Most of them are in the beds for at least two years. Then we transplant them to the slopes. At this point they are about a foot high. For one of the transplants to reach six feet takes seven to eight years. So you can figure your six foot tree is ten or eleven years old at least.

711 Old Glade Road / Deep Gap, NC 28618 / 828-964-2030 / cblieberman@yahoo.com